1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to mounting devices for use with equipment having line-of-sight requirements or other positioning requirements, such as, for example, optical and lighting equipment, and more particularly, for use with cameras, spotting scopes, camcorders, binoculars, or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Mounting devices for cameras and other optical equipment (e.g., cameras, spotting scopes, camcorders, binoculars, lighting, or the like) allow the optical equipment to be adjusted and secured to various positions in order to hold the optical equipment steady for clear, line-of-sight photos, accurate measurements, or lighting. The support structures for the mounting devices take various forms, including, for example, tripod structures. Some commercially available tripods are small and highly portable. Small tripod structures can be particularly useful for lightweight mobility, and are sometimes supplied with additional mounting accessories, such as straps, to provide the mounting device with capabilities to be secured to irregular or narrow surfaces. However, the straps can be cumbersome when not in use, in part, because they large compared to the overall size of the small portable tripods and can thus be obstructive when not in use, or can be lost if removed.